caps

UK: /kæps/

From the verb cap: (⇒ conjugate)

caps is: ⓘ

v 3rd person singular

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

cap¹ /kæp/   n., v., capped, cap•ping. 
n. [countable]

1. Clothing a close-fitting covering for the head, usually having no brim:
   a woolen cap.
2. a hat that signals one's rank, occupation, or the like:
   a nurse's cap.
3. a top, lid, or cover of a container or bottle:
   a bottle cap.
4. summit;
   top:
   the cap of a hill.
5. an upper limit, as one set by law on prices, wages, etc.;
   ceiling:
   urged a cap on wage increases of only 2%.
6. a noise-making device for toy pistols, made of a small quantity of explosive wrapped in paper.

v. [~ + object]

7. to provide or cover with or as if with a cap:
   Clouds capped the mountaintop.
8. [ ~ + obj + with + obj] to complete:
   She capped her career with a victory.
9. [~ + object + with + object] to follow with something better;
   outdo:
   to cap one joke with one even funnier.
10. to put a maximum limit on:
    They promised to cap wages but not prices.

cap³ /kæp/   n. [countable]

1. Slang Terms a capsule, esp. of a narcotic drug.

-cap- root.

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

caps.,  an abbreviation of:

1. Printing capital letters.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

cap¹  (kap), n., v., capped, cap•ping. 
n. 

1. Clothing a close-fitting covering for the head, usually of soft supple material and having no visor or brim.
2. Clothing a brimless head covering with a visor, as a baseball cap.
3. mobcap.
4. a headdress denoting rank, occupation, religious order, or the like:
   a nurse's cap.
5. mortarboard (def. 2).
6. [Math.] the symbol ∩, used to indicate the intersection of two sets. Cf. intersection (def. 3a).
7. anything resembling or suggestive of a covering for the head in shape, use, or position:
   a cap on a bottle.
8. summit;
   top;
   acme.
9. a maximum limit, as one set by law or agreement on prices, wages, spending, etc., during a certain period of time;
   ceiling:
   a 9 percent cap on pay increases for this year.
10. Plant Biology [Mycol.] the pileus of a mushroom.
11. [Bot.] calyptra (def. 1).
12. [Mining.] a short, horizontal beam at the top of a prop for supporting part of a roof.
13. a percussion cap.
14. British Terms a selection for a representative team, usually for a national squad.
15. a noise-making device for toy pistols, made of a small quantity of explosive wrapped in paper or other thin material.
16. [Naut.] a fitting of metal placed over the head of a spar, as a mast or bowsprit, and having a collar for securing an additional spar.
17. a new tread applied to a worn pneumatic tire.
18. [Archit.] a capital.
19. [Carpentry.] a metal plate placed over the iron of a plane to break the shavings as they rise.
20. [Fox Hunting.] See capping fee. 
21. [Chiefly Brit. Slang.] a contraceptive diaphragm.
22. cap in hand, humbly;
    in supplication:
    He went to his father cap in hand and begged his forgiveness.
23. set one's cap for, to pursue as being a potential mate.

v.t. 

24. to provide or cover with or as if with a cap.
25. to complete.
26. follow up with something as good or better;
    surpass;
    outdo:
    to cap one joke with another.
27. to serve as a cap, covering, or top to;
    overlie.
28. to put a maximum limit on (prices, wages, spending, etc.).
29. [Brit. Sports.] to select (a player) for a representative team.

v.i. 

30. [Fox Hunting.] to hunt with a hunting club of which one is not a member, on payment of a capping fee.

• Late Latin cappa hooded cloak, cap; compare cape
• Middle English cappe, Old English cæppe bef. 1000

cap′less, adj. 

cap²  (kap), n., v., capped, cap•ping. 
n. 

1. Printing a capital letter.
2. Printing Usually, caps. uppercase:
   Please set the underlined in caps.

v.t. 

3. Printing to write or print in capital letters, or make an initial letter a capital;
   capitalize.

• by shortening 1895–1900

cap³  (kap), n. [Slang.]

1. Slang Terms a capsule, esp. of a narcotic drug.

• by shortening of capsule

CAP, 

1. Government, See Civil Air Patrol. 
2. Economics, Government Common Agricultural Policy: a coordinated system established in 1960 by the European Economic Community for stabilizing prices of farm products of its member countries.
3. Stock Exchange computer-aided publishing.
4. Business, [Stock Exchange.] convertible adjustable preferred (stock).
Also, C.A.P. (for defs. 1, 2, 4).

cap., 

1. Weights and Measures capacity.
2. Drugs (in prescriptions) let the patient take.
• Latin capiat
3. capital.
4. capitalize.
5. capitalized.
6. Printing capital letter.
7. chapter.
• Latin capiat
8. foolscap.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

caps., 

1. Printing capital letters.
2. Drugs (in prescriptions) a capsule.
• Latin capsula
• (def. 2)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

cap / kæp/ noun

1. a covering for the head, esp a small close-fitting one made of cloth or knitted
2. such a covering serving to identify the wearer's rank, occupation, etc: a nurse's cap
3. something that protects or covers, esp a small lid or cover: lens cap
4. an uppermost surface or part: the cap of a wave
5. See percussion cap
6. a small amount of explosive enclosed in paper and used in a toy gun
7. an emblematic hat or beret given to someone chosen for a representative team: he has won three England caps
8. a player chosen for such a team
9. the pileus of a mushroom or toadstool
10. money contributed to the funds of a hunt by a follower who is neither a subscriber nor a farmer, in return for a day's hunting
11. the natural enamel covering a tooth
12. an artificial protective covering for a tooth
14. an upper financial limit
15. a mortarboard when worn with a gown at an academic ceremony (esp in the phrase cap and gown)
16. the cloud covering the peak of a mountain
17. the transient top of detached clouds above an increasing cumulus
18. cap in hand ⇒ humbly, as when asking a favour

verb (caps, capping, capped)(transitive)

1. to cover, as with a cap: snow capped the mountain tops
2. to outdo; excel: your story caps them all, to cap an anecdote
3. to cap it all ⇒ to provide the finishing touch
4. to select (a player) for a representative team
5. to seal off (an oil or gas well)
6. to impose an upper limit on the level of increase of (a tax)
7. to award a degree to

Etymology: Old English cæppe, from Late Latin cappa hood, perhaps from Latin caput head

ˈcapper noun

cap / kæp/ noun

short for cappuccino

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

caps. abbreviation

1. capital letters